Your social skills can open doors or slam them shut. Whether dealing with customers, co-workers or your boss, the words you choose and how you frame your message influences the way people perceive you. The difference between being a problem-solver or a problem is as simple as the words you choose. It is not what you intended those words to mean, it really is the words you choose.

Proper word usage can be a powerful tool that shapes how people feel about you. Using the correct words also provides the opportunity for people to want to listen to you and hear what you have to say. Too often business communication is filled with extra words that just fill space, mix up the intended message or are negative and unproductive.

In order to create and sustain team motivation, it needs to be a matter of constant focus.

Think of it like coaching your team for a marathon. This would require training on a daily basis in order to build stamina and reach optimum fitness levels. It’s simply not enough to offer short, infrequent spurts of intense training activity and hope it will take them the distance.

Many leaders make the mistake of thinking team motivation is separate from or somehow less important than conducting day-to-day-business. They may put it on the back burner, believing that there will be plenty of time to work on morale and team building after the bottom line is achieved.